


Edge of Hope

by dubupomu



Category: LOONA (Korea Band), SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Angst, Anxiety, Character Death, Dark, Depression, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, Friendship, Injury, M/M, Romance, Swearing, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:21:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23732263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dubupomu/pseuds/dubupomu
Summary: Hope can be a dangerous thing and yet each one of these twenty four young lives cling onto it in whatever way they can. Another year of the exciting yet brutal Hunger Games brings together a cast of different individuals with only one coming out alive. The tense nature of these circumstances will bring out both the best and the worst in each tribute, as they struggle not only among themselves but also with their own demons.orAn AU set in the Hunger Games world featuring both Loona and Seventeen.
Relationships: won't be tagged for spoilers
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	1. To the Capitol (Part 1)

**Author's Note:**

> hey so this is my first serious multichapter fic and i've been really excited about it! i had this idea long ago and now with the quarantine i finally have time to work on it.  
> for this chapter, i kept some parts brief as we are introduced to half the main cast. the next chapter will show the rest of them.
> 
> enjoy!

Unimpressed. That’s what Jeon Heejin felt as she inspected what the inside of the train had to offer. Sure there seemed to be some delicacies that were unknown to her but she was certain they weren’t much better than anything she had back at home. 

All her life she was privileged and constantly surrounded by beauty. Her parents were best dealers of fine art in District 1, after all. She herself also enjoyed the delicate and evocative nature of painting. Heejin thought she’d probably miss the comforts her home had to offer but she assured herself that it was only temporary; she’d be back after a few weeks anyways, right? Besides, she knows she’s smarter than most plus she’s got one of the best mentors.

Well, the only thing that seemed in her way was her own district partner, but that was a thought she would rather repress. Heejin was obviously the more charming of the two anyways, despite her partner’s reputation. Sponsors could mean the difference between life or death. 

Speaking of her district partner, she eyed him closely as she entered another part of the train. Truth be told, she was intimidated. The boy was, well, infamous as a kid. Although they were never classmates as he was older, she heard that he once slammed a classmate into a wall out of anger after being called less than pleasant things for rarely speaking. A wild card like him was likely going to be a force to be reckoned with in the games. Heejin knew she shouldn’t waste her time trying to form an alliance with him so she decided to leave him be and seek out her mentor instead.

Lee Jihoon glanced at Heejin as she passed. Back at the District, he knew of her. Everyone did. The younger girl was blessed with a striking appearance. She was also cordial to everyone she interacted with, well-spoken, and creative. He disliked her. Then again, he never really liked many people. But also, there was just something about her that didn’t seem genuine although he did respect her artistic character for he was inclined to the arts himself- albeit a different field.

Jihoon was a virtuoso. Rather than be with others, he’d spend his free time in his luxurious music room, practicing the day away with whatever instrument he wanted. Music was the only outlet he knew of that wouldn’t cause destruction. As a younger boy, he’d often deal with bouts of anger that were rather violent at times when he was upset, which was often as other kids would beat him for being an oddly quieter one and he’d retaliate. Ever since his father gifted him with a guitar, he learned to calm himself. Since then his collection of instruments grew into what it is now.

Back to the matter at hand, Jihoon thought about the games. He guessed it was just about time he was reaped. He didn’t worry much. If anything, Jihoon was a bit annoyed. He didn’t want the attention that came with winning. He already had everything he wanted. Oh well, he thought. Guess he could let out his frustration through participating and so that he could get back home as soon as possible. Taking lives in this circumstance wasn’t that wrong, Jihoon believed. What was the point of doing otherwise? No one had power over the Capitol to change anything anyways and he was relatively content with the way things were for him.

~

“BROOOO!”

Laughter erupted in the train car. The very tall Kim Mingyu had a spring in his step as he entered the train and approached the man in front of him. Choi Seungcheol, his long time friend, a newly crowned victor, was now also his mentor. 

“It’s about time you volunteered. I’ve been waiting for this!” Seungcheol smiled.

“Go big or go home, right? I’ve got like two years left but hell, I couldn’t wait anymore,” the younger boy replied.

On the sidelines, Hyejoo rolled her eyes. Why were men always so damn loud? She walked over to the food table, intent on avoiding the two. Personally, she didn’t think much of her partner. She didn’t know him and though he was obviously well-built he seemed like the type whose bark was worse than their bite. She also had a theory that he wasn’t the most coordinated after he almost tripped when they entered the train.

Hyejoo’s thought process was suddenly interrupted when she was called at. 

“Hey you! Son Hyejoo, is it?” Seungcheol beckoned with his signature friendly look.

“What?’ Hyejoo retorted, arms crossed and all.

“Let’s have a chat. All of us.” He gestured to himself and Mingyu who were now seated by the window.

Hyejoo considered for a moment but ultimately thought that they’d have plenty of time for that in the coming days before the games so she simply walked away into another train car.

“Alright then,” Seungcheol said. “Something tells me she’ll be a difficult one.” He chuckled.

“Pfft, she doesn’t matter anyways. This is my year,” Mingyu replied as he leaned back.

In District 2, Mingyu spent his days training as an aspiring peacekeeper. Or so that’s what people thought. In truth, it was just his way of preparing for the games without looking too obvious. His own father was a peacekeeper after all, so it only seemed natural for him to follow. Besides, he also didn’t want to come off as a typical, young candidate for the games like the others who’d take unofficial but customary training lessons. Mingyu had his path all planned out. He wanted to build his victor reputation under the guise of being a “surprise”. He pretended to have no real interest in becoming a tribute to add to his glory being unexpected. 

Alone in the next train car sat Hyejoo. She needed space. She didn’t want anyone to witness her excitement. This was finally it, she thought. She’d finally have a chance to be recognized on her own, no longer in the shadow of another. Only two years ago, her own older sister was in this same position, minus the whole “wanting to prove herself” notion of course. The elder Son was highly esteemed. She was a favorite in their District for her strength, cunning, and ambition, and the expected winner of the games that year. Things didn’t turn out as expected though. When she was killed in a rather stupid accident, Hyejoo and the rest of her family were more chagrined than dismal over the loss of the girl. She remembered the days when she and her sister would spar, as their family specialized in crafting high-quality weaponry, and how Hyejoo never once notched a win. Until this day, she was disappointed in herself for never overcoming her sister. If anything, it felt like she was forever dueling with a ghost. But now she would finally break free and become a contender all on her own. She was young and arguably still had more years to prepare but just as she felt she could wait no longer, Lady Luck was on her side the day of the reaping. She didn’t even need to volunteer. Hyejoo smiled at that. 

~

Vivi was rather overwhelmed with a wave of emotions. She was shocked over being reaped, but she also knew this would have happened eventually. She was dispirited; there was so much she still wanted to do before she died. She was angry. Why were the games necessary in the first place? It was a disgustingly barbaric concept. Trying to calm herself, she took several slow deep breaths, leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

“Uhh, you alright there?” a deep and slightly concerned voice asked. 

“Mmhmm.”

“‘Kay then.” Hansol diverted his attention away from the girl. He guessed that he could empathize with her. He was essentially in the same situation though he didn’t want to dwell on it too much. The circumstances he was in exactly told him that life was much too short to feel bad, especially when you couldn’t do anything about it. He started humming a funky tune to distract himself. 

“Um, could you lower your, uh, humming a bit? If you don’t mind,” Vivi requested. She could really use some quiet now. Hansol’s humming was getting in the way of all her thoughts. The tune was annoyingly catchy, she noticed.

“Heh, sorry ‘bout that,” Hansol replied sheepishly. 

“It’s alright. What song was that anyways?” It wasn’t anything she had heard before. 

“Just something I came up with a while back,” he said. “It’s actually a whole song, with backing instrumentals and all. I’ve got this electronic table thing with tools to do all that. Made it myself.” He was rambling, and he seemed somewhat proud. 

“Oh.” How interesting, Vivi thought. Normally, people in District 3 would use their intellect and craftiness to create more utilitarian things. Her own family for example, were known for their work with industrial robots. 

It was for this very reason that Hansol was often outcast by others. They believed he didn’t have his priorities straight as he’d often tinker with devices for his own leisure. He was a dreamer at heart. Hansol disliked the uptight ways of his District and hoped that by doing what he does, he’d add a little more color to the dreary place.

Similarly, Vivi was also seen as “different” by others. She didn’t have many friends. Little did she know it was only because of the way she came off as. Around her, people often felt as though she was distant and that she was judging them, but in reality Vivi only wanted to figure out a person through her own intuition, and would often forget to communicate more. She was probably too logical for her own good and she’d often be compared to the robots she worked with, but she always meant well.

There was an awkward silence between the third District’s tributes now that Vivi was unknowingly staring at the boy across her, lost in her thoughts as she tried to read him. Hansol shifted uncomfortably.

“So… Vi-... Viian, right?” Hansol guessed. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”

“It’s Vivi,” she replied. “I could say the same about you.”

“Guess so. I don’t really venture around. Not much to see back home anyways. This is probably the most interesting thing that’s ever happened to me now that I think about it.”

“Hmm.” She thought he was strange, but not in a bad way. He seemed oddly relaxed despite the whole situation they were in. Perhaps she could learn from his attitude.

Hansol continued speaking. “I mean, we’re likely going to die soon so we might as well be making the most out of things.”

Vivi understood his point. As depressing as it sounded, it was quite logical. There was one thing she wanted to know though.

“Are you going to try?” she asked. “In the games, I mean.”

“I’ve already thought about my chances way before I was reaped. They’re low. I guess I could do what I can for the sake of the ‘full experience’ but I’m not that concerned anymore.” He shrugged.

She thought he was right. It was probably best if she didn’t dwell on the dark side. 

~

Junhui let out a sigh of relief and made himself comfortable on the plush train seat. It was finally time to enjoy the special treatment of being a tribute, and he was already looking forward to the riches that would come as a victor. Sure he knew there was still that possibility of him not making it out alive, but he was confident. He’s strong, perceptive, and definitely not afraid of stealing lives. Besides, he wouldn’t have volunteered if he wasn’t.

Back at home he lived relatively humbly and quite frankly he was bored of it. Spearing smelly fish, hauling baskets of said fish, gutting and cleaning the poor creatures, then sitting at a stall under the hot sun the rest of the day waiting for customers wasn’t exactly his cup of tea. He knew his little brother and aging parents would be grateful for the grand luxury his future success would bring.

But before all that, he could use some allies.

“Hey,” he called the attention of the tall blonde girl nearby who looked like she was having a difficult time deciding which pastry to try first.

“Yeah?” she replied, still not looking at him. 

“Jung Jinsoul, right?” At that, she turned her head to him, her eyebrow slightly raised.

“We make quite the pair, don’t you think?” He smiled suggestively at her.

She laughed at him. Yeah, it was a given that he was insanely good-looking, but her interests have always lied with… others. “Wen Junhui. Sorry, I’m not interested.”

“I don’t mean it like that. That wouldn’t make sense since only one of us is winning.” Junhui never let down his grin as he spoke.

“Oh, of course.”

“So, how about it? The Capitol would be rooting for us, a gorgeous, killer duo,” he offered. “Why don’t we shake on it?”

Jinsoul knew her chances of going back home could be increased with the help of allies, not that she wasn’t sure of her own skills, but she knew a lone wolf wouldn’t survive a harsh winter. Besides, she had already been planning her moves. She’d leave the careers at the dead of night before they turn on each other, or even better, she’d come up with a way to start the tension right before leaving without anyone knowing. These ideas were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to her strategies. She always had a sort of respect for the games. They were brutal, yes, but there was also a sort of strange beauty to it, or rather, to what it represented. She found the whole concept of these present social classes and struggles for power to be intriguing.

“Deal.” She strode towards Junhui whose arm was already outstretched, then graciously accepted. 

“Nice. Best of luck to us then,” he said with a wink. 

Jinsoul didn’t like him. She could sense that there was something cynical underneath that seemingly charismatic exterior people most likely fell for, but she’d surely find a way to use him to her advantage.

Little did she know, Junhui was also thinking the same.

~

“Hiya!” Soonyoung beamed at the short blonde girl in front of him. “I’m Soonyoung. Kwon Soonyoung. But uhh, you probably already heard that a while ago, hehe.”

The girl gave a small smile in return. She was confused as to why he seemed so happy.

“I’m Chaewon.” She waved, albeit awkwardly. 

Soonyoung barely knew her but he was already projecting a little sister image onto Chaewon. He couldn’t help it. Something about her seemed delicate and too good for the situation they were in. He pitied her, really.

“This is kinda cool, huh? I mean if we don’t look at the bigger picture. I never thought Capitol things were this fancy.” He made a wide gesture with his arms.

“Oh! Careful!” Chaewon exclaimed. 

“Shit!”

Soonyoung’s reach nearly knocked a glass ornament over, but his quick reflexes kicked in and he caught it the second before it could hit the ground. 

“Oh god, that was close!” He laughed and placed the ornament back in place. “I don’t think I would have been able to pay for that!”

At that, Chaewon laughed. It was Soonyoung’s turn to be confused. 

After a bit she calmed and took a breath. “I’m sorry, it’s just that with this whole situation at hand, you’re still, well, excited is it? Over our new surroundings and all?”

Soonyoung didn’t know how to respond.

“Don’t get me wrong! I appreciate it, that’s all! I was actually hoping you wouldn’t be a downer of some sorts. I don’t wanna feel bad now that I only have a matter of weeks left,” Chaewon explained.

“Oh! Um, you’re welcome?” He scratched his head. “I guess I do feel the same.” 

“I’ve had enough sadness already. My older brother and sister wouldn’t stop crying. I cried too of course but there’s really no use since we can’t do anything about it!” 

In any situation, Chaewon always tried to look at the bright side. That’s what her family taught her. She was going to miss them. Especially her dog, Bbomi. She didn’t even have a picture to remember them by. What if she started to forget what they looked like as she spent time in the Capitol? What if they’d fill themselves with worry when she repeatedly told them not too? She couldn’t bear the idea of her family being distressed for her, though it was only natural. Chaewon could slowly feel the anxiety creeping in, but she used all her might to bury the unwelcome feeling.

Soonyoung found it intriguing how someone who looked more like the reserved type was actually so positive as he listened to the younger girl go on. It was admirable. Though he’s only known her for a few hours, he knew it would hurt if anything happened to her. Was this how his own older sister felt now that he was in such a situation? 

He wanted to make it back home. Who wouldn’t? The moment he heard his name called at the podium, a fire lit in him. Maybe, just maybe he could do this. He thought he could probably do a good job of defending himself. After all, he’d often tussle with friends back home and they’d always remind him not to go too far. He was nimble and he worked on bettering his stamina as he’d regularly run laps through the borders of the lengthy hydroelectric dams back at home. The one thing he was afraid of was the morbid “last man standing” nature of the games. He could never bring himself into taking the life of another, that’s for sure. It was just downright wrong.

Oh well, he thought. It wouldn’t hurt to try but he’d definitely stand by his morals throughout the whole ordeal.

~

Fucking hell. 

Jungeun was seething with rage. Out of all the girls in her District, it had to be her? What were the odds! She was so angry she had to stop tears from spilling. She didn’t want to die like this. Not in front of the eyes of many privileged, clown-looking bastards who thought the whole thing was entertaining. She simply could not wrap her head around it. How could such vile people live with themselves knowing they treated those poorer than them as pawns in a game?

She was looking forward to living a decent life in District 6. She had a loving family, kind friends, and a good reputation. She couldn’t understand why fate would do this to her. Jungeun wasn’t a bad person. 

She felt absolutely crushed. She remembered when the Escort called her name and how she fell into a daze. She had suddenly forgotten where she was. She could only hear a dizzying ringing sound at that moment and the stares from those around her felt like they were burning holes in her back. To her it seemed like she was watching a horrifying scene, except that she didn’t want to believe she was the main character for once. This emotion was unfamiliar to her. As the peacekeepers nudged her out and onto the stage, she snapped back into reality. Jungeun remembered she had an image to keep. She was known as the girl who always had it altogether and she wanted to take that dignity with her to the grave, if she had to. 

Now that she was journeying to esteemed the Capitol itself, that dreadful feeling was starting to rise in her again, except that it was accompanied by indignation this time. 

Jungeun didn’t realize she was still standing rather tensely and staring angrily out the window, lost in thoughts, until she heard someone clear their throat.

“You look like you’re about to break the glass with that sort of glare,” Jeonghan, the reaped older boy bluntly chided from his seat. “I wouldn’t waste my energy being furious like that.”

“Excuse me?”

“Just a suggestion.” He shrugged. “Your feelings are going to eat you alive if you let it get to you like that.”

Jungeun was displeased. Why did this stranger think he had any say in how she felt given their current position? Wasn’t he angry too?

And as though he read her thoughts, he replied, “I don’t like this anymore than you do, y’know?”

“Then how are you this composed?”

“Like I said, I’d rather use my energy for better things. Training, for example. Or maybe even strategizing. There’s no use being mad over something you have no control over.”

Jeonghan had always lived with this ideology. One could rarely benefit from using emotions over logic. Some say he was cold-hearted because of this but he didn’t mind. 

There was one thing that crossed his principles though. That was ambition- the only thing he allowed himself to strongly feel. He was angry too, yes, but more importantly he would find a way to channel that in a reasonable manner for him to win. He believed he didn’t warrant this way of dying. 

Jeonghan assured that a cool head and a calculated mind would be his keys to victory.


	2. To the Capitol (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tributes from Districts 7 to 12 reflect on their situation.

When Haseul entered the train and saw her District partner and mentor, she excused herself before the latter began talking business with the two newly picked tributes.

Trying to find peace in solitude, she finally let the tears flow freely. The second her name was called, she was determined to keep a levelheaded front, mostly for the sake of the family and friends that came to say goodbye after the reaping. Haseul didn’t have many thoughts since the unfortunate moment. In fact, the only thing that shook her down to her core was dejection.

So this was it, she thought while listening to her own choked sobbing. 

This was the end of her story.

Every year she dreaded the coming of the morbid competition. She wasn’t so concerned for herself; that wasn’t her foremost regard. Haseul was more afraid of someone she loved being chosen. Compounding that, she also felt such overwhelming sympathy for the poor souls who were reaped. The whole notion of it was too unjust for her. Why should this current generation be suffering the consequences of those who only sought out their rights years ago? Haseul had always wished she could do something. 

But now here she was, forced into what was essentially a death sentence.

Haseul came from a relatively well-off family of artisans who specialized in furniture and paper making. She wasn’t one for harsh manual labor; she was usually assigned to things such as spearheading logistics, organizing materials, or even designing basic fixtures to be crafted by others later on. It was for this very reason that she never really handled tools such as axes or saws. Haseul faced the fact that she’d be incompetent when it came to defense. Her only slim chance of getting through the games was probably going to be her mind for picking up survival techniques and strategies- if she could survive the bloodbath. God, she hated feeling sorry for herself like this.

The girl’s lonely lamenting was cut off when she heard the door to the train car slide open.

“Um… hey, what’s up?” a voice tried to casually ask.

Haseul hurriedly wiped at her tear-stained face and tried to even out her breathing as she avoided eye contact with the older boy who stood peeking into the train car. He felt as though he had to wait for her to invite him in before he could get any closer.

Noticing that he awkwardly didn’t make another move, Haseul looked up at her district partner and forced a small smile.

“You can come in. It’s not like this is my room or anything.”

“I was just being polite,” he replied, not unkindly. “I was told to check on you.”

Joshua proceeded to take a seat across Haseul though he still seemed a bit tense. His partner was obviously having a moment, and he felt bad for interrupting her. 

Haseul wasn’t quite a stranger to Joshua. She was actually a friend to Minkyeung, his younger sister. He briefly wondered how she felt, knowing that two significant people to her were about to compete for their lives and possibly not find success.

Back at home, Joshua and Minkyeung were mostly known among their peers as a musical duo. In their free time, he’d accompany her vocals with his guitar, something he crafted himself as he was taught woodworking from a young age. On some occasions Minkyeung would invite Haseul to perform with them for she was also gifted with a soothing voice.

The stillness in the air between the seventh District’s tributes went on as each was absorbed in their own thoughts and feelings. 

Haseul reluctantly broke the silence after a while. 

“So how’s Minky taking all this? She didn’t come for a goodbye so I assumed they didn’t allow her to see both of us.”

“She... she was barely able to make out any words actually,” Joshua sighed. “She was mostly angry but she did mention that she wanted both of us to come back.” The memory of his tearful sister hurt him.

“Oh.” Haseul was faintly taken aback. She thought her friend was too realistic of a person to make such a remark but then again, her sorrow was doubled in this situation. Minkyeung would have to possibly deal with grief over two people. 

The tributes had little to say to each other by this point, though both seemed a little more comforted by their solidarity. 

~

It’s alright, Minghao mentally told himself. There’s nothing else to worry about other than the blatant prospect of maybe losing his life in a matter of days.

What could he do? It’s not like he asked to be born into such a world. By now he was reasonably resigned to the state of things. It was bound to happen anyways. As such, he tried doing the most he could and whatever the hell he wanted while he was still in District 8, even if it meant getting into trouble now and then for his free-spiritedness. In a way, the scuffles he got into primed him for what was to come. Minghao was lean and nimble. Fistfights with gangs of boys also developed his coordination. Naturally light on his feet, he could easily run away from any heated situation, if he couldn’t finish things with kicks or punches. His endurance wasn’t bad either. In times when he did find himself running, he effortlessly got away as his pursuers couldn’t navigate the complex industrial maze that made up the whole District.

He would be fine. He planned on focusing on what was unfamiliar when it was time for the pre-games training period. How to start a fire, for example. Or maybe even plant identification since greenery was a rare sight at home. Something along those lines. Perhaps he’d even strike up a deal with allies. Anyways if things went wrong and he died, he reckoned that he wouldn’t feel so downhearted. No one was waiting for him back home. On the other hand, if he won, Minghao would be glad for the drastic change in lifestyle. He would finally be able to wear the snazzy outfits he dreamed of after constantly being surrounded by a vast array of fabrics that were sent to the Capitol.

Minghao reclined in his seat, stretched his long legs and put his hands behind his head. Yeah, things would be okay. 

When Sooyoung entered the train car and witnessed her partner’s laid-back state, she could not help but roll her eyes. She had just finished a short meeting with her mentor and was frankly perturbed by Minghao’s absence. But seeing him now, she started making assumptions. She thought that he probably envisioned himself as one who was higher than others. Or maybe he was just stupid? That was the vibe she got from him, at least.

Minghao’s eyes were lightly shut now so she didn’t bother to try conversing with him. She could always find allies in other Districts.

Sooyoung crossed over into the next train car and sought something to drink. The bar had much to offer, though she doubted they had what she was looking for. It wouldn’t seem right to let tributes, kids no less, have access to alcohol. She instead settled with a hot brown liquid that smelled much sweeter than the sorry excuse of coffee she had back home.

Home. That was something she was going to miss. She had no idea how things would turn out in the games so she tried to stay sensible. Sooyoung evaluated herself. She was quite resilient from working painstakingly long hours in the factory, she guessed. She was adept whenever she really put her mind to things, too. Perhaps that ability would translate into combat skills as she trained. Sooyoung was also confident in knowing that she was an overall hard worker. Being indolent would only lead one down a path of slow death in her District, beyond anything. Work equates to pay, and pay granted you food. Simple logic.

She sighed. She wouldn’t enjoy any of this despite the luxury the tribute treatment offered her. Sooyoung just wanted things to be over as quickly as they started. 

~

Seungkwan and Yerim were hitting it off quite nicely, as if they weren’t forced into such a dire state of affairs.

The tributes from the ninth District found that they had much in common and both used that as an unspoken excuse to distract themselves.

“Two of us can sing, dance and make people smile, but do you have sickle-wielding powers as sick as mine?!” Seungkwan was resolved to find out.

“Aww! No! My dad doesn’t want me touching sharp things. He lets me help with planting and cleaning instead. It’s boring.” Yerim pouted.

“That doesn’t sound too bad! That means you’re a big help to him!”

“But it’s the same work everyday…” Yerim trailed off and memories of her daily routine abruptly came to mind. As dull as it was, the secure familiarity would probably be something she’d pine for later on.

No, stop, the young girl thought. It wouldn’t help thinking about the past that was fading away, nor the harsh reality of the fast approaching future. Yerim should be focusing on the present. Besides, she considered herself fortunate to have such good company. Seungkwan was like the older brother she never had. She convinced herself that she should be more grateful. At the very least, she had this opportunity to experience the gifts the Capitol were blessed with. It was going to be her last hurrah before… before things changed.

Likewise, Seungkwan felt that this lighthearted energy from his partner was good for him. He tried his hardest to quell the nauseous fear that threatened to swamp him, replacing it with jokes and a good-natured grin instead. He was ever so slightly concerned about how long he could keep this exterior up, though. He didn’t want to snap later on. That would be unpleasant for everyone. On top of all that he didn’t like the pity his heart brewed for both him and Yerim. Bright-eyed young people like them didn’t deserve this sort of fate, did they?

But enough of that. He was having a nice conversation with his new friend and there was luscious food and drink available to them at any given time. The thick, soft cushion he rested on was also delightful, he supposed.

Bridges would be crossed when they were reached, the two presumed as they continued to chatter.

~

Fuck this, Yeojin thought as she bumped into a rack of ceramic mugs that subsequently went crashing to the carpeted train floor. The damn Capitol probably had mugs for days either way.

At the sudden commotion, Seokmin was startled but seeing as it was likely an accident, he tried to crack a well-meaning smile at his partner.

“What’s with the stupid smile?” the girl snapped at the older boy.

“N-nothing!”

Yeojin narrowed her eyes at him and decided she wasn’t in the mood for small talk. She occupied an empty seat at the food table and began stuffing herself with sweets. If she was going to die, she might as well be sated before it happened. After this, she also planned on napping for as long as possible. She didn’t get much sleep the night before thanks to her nerves.

Seokmin was dumbfounded. Yeojin was… well, a handful, to put it lightly. When her name was called at the reaping, he watched in astonishment as the young girl fought off the peacekeeper that tried to pull her out, before he ultimately failed and motioned for backup. 

After hearing her name to be one of the District’s representatives, Seokmin also wondered why it rang a bell. Now that he had time to think in the train, it hit him.

Yeojin was the prime suspect behind “the Incident” that happened just a year prior in District 10. Following the rather chaotic occurrence, her name was cleared and the cause of the cattle stampede was said to have been just a tumultuous collapse in the enclosure during the thunderstorm that provoked the herd. Officials couldn’t explain how such a small girl could cause that despite most of the evidence pointing at her. Witnesses, including Seokmin and his family, had in fact mentioned how they noticed her loitering around the area days before. He always assumed she just wanted to see them training the horses they kept since not many specialized in that field when there were other, easier jobs available. 

What a silly girl, he thought to himself. Maybe being reaped was just the world’s way of making her pay for the small but several troubles she likely caused. All things considered, what would that say about him though? He liked to think that he was an all around good guy. That’s what his friends and family always said. Perhaps it was all just a matter of luck, and that the odds were not in their favor that day.

~

“Wonwoo! I’m Jiwoo!” a bright voice filled the train car as a girl skipped through the door and inside. “How funny that we’re both in a train now!”

“Huh?” Wonwoo was confused by what his partner meant.

“Woo woo? Y’know… like the sound of the train?”

“Isn’t it choo choo? Then more of a hissing and rumbling sound?”

“Oh.”

Throughout the bizarre exchange, Jiwoo did not drop her eye-reaching smile. Wonwoo wondered how her cheeks weren’t hurting. 

“That was a good try,” he reassured her. “It’s not like we’re accustomed to these things anyways.” The two came from District 11. Vegetation was all they were supposed to know.

“Right!” Jiwoo gave a small laugh.

“Um, want a drink or something?” Wonwoo said in an attempt to invite her to sit down. He could practically feel the energy radiating off her. He found it a bit… exhausting?

“No, I’m good,” she insisted. “But thanks.”

“Then are you just going to stand there?”

Jiwoo looked like she mentally slapped herself at the realization.

“Oh sorry! It’s just… I don’t know what to do anymore,” she sighed and took a seat. Wonwoo noticed how her happy demeanor seemed to shift as her shoulders gradually slumped.

“No need to apologize.”

A silence filled the air. While most would find it uncomfortable, Wonwoo thrived in the absence of noise. In the orchards of District 11, he distanced himself from others while they all worked. While it appeared to be an indifferent habit, Wonwoo was actually just an empath and seeing the tired looks of the laborers rubbed off on him, despite being more on the resilient side himself. It would just make him feel unnecessarily heavy. Because of this he didn’t mind that people assumed he was aloof, especially with his naturally cold-looking eyes. 

Jiwoo was fairly his opposite. Back at home, she was usually the center of things. She was a born moodmaker, curious, obviously extroverted, and always full of life. She would even start sing-alongs with the younger kids to help pass time as they worked under the unrelenting heat of the sun. Jiwoo was well-liked by many.

Wonwoo had a notion that she was going to be too naive in the games. He considered warning her, but he didn’t know how to word it gently so he kept his mouth shut.

He expected the competition wasn’t going to be forgiving so he silently prayed to a god he didn’t believe in for a little mercy. 

~

Kim Hyunjin, out of all people, decided to be mannerly for once by excusing herself into a further train car to get away from what she had just observed.

Her district partner, who was apparently just a year older than her, sat alone from where she just came, looking like a hot mess. His legs were visibly shaking. He was slumped forward and facing down as he gingerly held his head between his hands, elbows resting on his lap. He was sweating, despite the cool air that ventilated the train. His dark bangs stuck unsightly to his forehead and if you listened closely, he was muttering words to himself. The miserable boy was obviously rattled after being reaped.

The second Hyunjin wandered into the other train car and slid the door shut, she burst into an almost uncontrollable fit of…

laughter.

What an impression! 

Sure, her heart did go out for the guy. At the end of the day, she was forced into the same boat. Yet she couldn’t help but think that the sight of him was comical.

Okay, she shouldn’t be insensitive like that, she mused. Besides, if anyone saw her cracking up like this they’d probably think she was not totally right in the head.

Her eccentric sense of humor was something she was known for back in District 12. Her peers didn’t understand her and actively avoided her. All except Ryujin, her only friend whom Hyunjin considered family since she was never close to her pair of significantly older brothers. If truth be told, Ryujin would even encourage Hyunjin’s strangeness, often saying that it’s what made her fun to be around. The two were notoriously similar, after all. 

If Ryujin was the one who started mischief, it was Hyunjin who’d eagerly plant the idea into her head in the first place.

Oh, how she’d miss that. If only Ryujin were with her. Her trusted friend would likely have a field day, as she was right now, with so much as a glance at the unlucky boy who was now her counterpart.

Meanwhile, the said boy was trying so hard to pull himself together while unbeknownst to him, Hyunjin was laughing her ass off in the next compartment.

All the emotions Lee Chan bottled up over the years of living in hardship came crashing down on him when his name was called just hours ago.

He spent his life appearing to be resolute for the sake of his parents and younger brother. They struggled for even the most basic necessities so Chan would often bring it upon himself to sign up for tesserae. Because of their situation, he learned to prioritize his family’s immediate physical needs. Nevermind the imminent fact that he was worsening his chance of being reaped for the life-threatening annual event. Chan had habitually pushed aside that risk.

Reality had punched him square in the face today. Here he was now. Chan knew he should have seen it coming and yet he was devastated. He didn’t have great living conditions but he still clutched things he considered dear to him, like his parents who dreamed of providing the best for their sons someday, and his little brother who reminded him that the sun would always rise despite anything bad that happened. He also had precious friends at home. 

Chan truly wished he could change his mindset but hopelessness was a tough rival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there'll be a short timeskip in the next chapter and we'll be focusing on the training period and more interactions between the tributes. hope y'all look forward to it :)


	3. Training (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tributes begin their training sessions. New bonds are formed as some find friendship while others simply size up the competition.

Mingyu woke with a start as a pile of training clothes was thrown over his face.

“Get up. I know you don’t think it’s necessary but you need to haul your ass down to training,” Seungcheol commanded from the door of the room.

Unlike the rest of the tributes, Mingyu didn’t head to the training center downstairs right away. After a filling breakfast, he didn’t bother fighting the urge to go back to bed.

“I understand you’re confident and I believe you, but alliances aren’t going to form themselves,” the District 2 mentor admonished.

Mingyu groaned and reluctantly got up for the sake of his friend. 

“Fine.”

~

The bustling sounds of metal clashing, footsteps running, and trainers lecturing, resonated across the gymnasium as Mingyu walked in. 

Remembering his mentor’s words, he decided the best approach to forming an alliance was to let others come to him. He headed towards the weapons station. Mingyu’s well-built biceps contracted as he picked up a menacing spiked maul. In his hands it felt similar to the sledgehammers he sometimes handled back home.

When he proceeded towards the nearest set of training dummies, a javelin rapidly swooshed in the air and deeply impaled one right where the heart should be.

That was kinda cool, he thought. 

Upon closer inspection, it seemed like the source was a fit blonde girl he vaguely remembered coming from District 4. Her brows were furrowed in determination as she stretched her arms in preparation to throw again. At that moment, Mingyu changed his approach entirely and sauntered towards her. 

“Hey,” he moved the maul he was carrying to his other hand and rested its head on the ground. “You've got a pretty strong throw.” He smiled.

“Thanks,” she replied, looking him up and down.

“District 4, right? I’ve been thinking we could benefit from each other, with the stiff necks from District 1.”

Jinsoul was expecting this. The boy in front of her was noticeably tall with the impressive build of a brute, despite his warm smile. She recalled he was the other guy who proudly volunteered for District 2. He definitely looked like brawn over brain. People like him were exactly the type she could easily exploit.

“Absolutely.” She gave him a smile that was just as friendly-looking right back at him.

Jinsoul glanced to her side and saw her District partner swinging a silver trident a few feet away. She called him over.

“This is… wait, sorry I didn’t get your name. I’m Jinsoul and that’s Junhui.”

“Hey there, two!” Junhui jogged towards Mingyu and spoke up. “You’re our new buddy, huh?” He casually put his free arm over the taller boy.

“It’s Mingyu,” the boy in question offered.

“Great! Mingyu, so that makes three of us now. Or four. What’s your partner up to?” Junhui inquired curiously.

“I wouldn’t bother if I were you. She’s… well you could try but don’t expect much.” Mingyu noticed that he didn’t even see Hyejoo at breakfast and every attempt he had at conversing with the young girl ended before it even started with nothing but a glare from her.

“Alrighty,” Junhui released his hold from Mingyu. “Catch you guys later.” He returned the trident he was holding to a shelf and went to another station.

“I should get back to this too,” Jinsoul nodded her head towards the rack of spears beside her. “It was nice meeting you.”

“Likewise.” 

Mission accomplished, Mingyu thought. It was quick and almost too easy, disregarding the fact that it was a given for career tributes to band together. But whatever. He knew he was capable of overpowering them when the time came.

~

Upon setting foot in the training center earlier that day, Jiwoo didn’t know where to start. She wasn’t used to being on her own.

There weren’t any familiar faces of course. Except for Wonwoo, but she presumed that he’d appreciate going solo. He wasn’t mean or anything. Not at all! So far he’d always politely respond whenever she tried to initiate a conversation yet he was an obvious introvert. She just wanted to respect his boundaries.

While most of the tributes appeared to immediately know which stations they wanted to try first, Jiwoo wandered aimlessly, a little bit in awe over the variety of things to do.

Should she try her hand at weapons? She’s used a garden fork before and she did see a boy practicing with something similar, although it looked significantly heavier and threatening. 

Hmm, maybe not. She could never bring herself to harm another human anyways. 

Perhaps she should go back to her roots and sharpen her mind through the plant identifying station? Or would that be a waste of time since she knew most kinds already?

Out of mild frustration with her indecisiveness, Jiwoo threw her head back and sighed deeply. Then she saw it. The ropes course! 

She easily got up on the wide hanging net that was across the ceiling of a large portion of the gymnasium. From this vantage point she could survey the competition, whether it be for scouting allies or figuring out the careers’ weak points. 

The view from the net was engrossing. Jiwoo found it interesting how almost all the tributes each had their own niche.

A rather loud groan followed by a string of curses suddenly caught her attention.

Jiwoo looked down where the archery station was located. A tall dark haired girl was glowering at a target covered in several arrows, all of which were ever so slightly off-center. 

Curiously, she watched as the girl readied another arrow, took a deep breath and released. A thud was heard and when Jiwoo looked, the arrow was in the bull’s eye. 

“Nice shot!” Jiwoo instinctively cheered.

Surprised, the other girl looked up.

“Um, thanks?”

“Oh! Sorry, don’t mind me! You can keep going!”

Great. Now there was even more pressure to look good, Sooyoung thought as the girl above her kept watching. She was growing irritated with herself for taking so long to succeed at this. It wasn’t like her to do this bad, nevermind the fact that it was her first time with a bow. Theoretically, she assumed it would be something she could easily pick up. She’s always had a sharp eye and good coordination. Sooyoung was baffled.

At the sight of the girl not continuing, Jiwoo climbed down the ropes. 

“I’m really sorry again. I distracted you, didn’t I?” she tried to offer. 

“No, it’s fine.” Sooyoung wondered why the smaller girl kept apologizing. It’s not like any harm was done.

“I think you’re really good, by the way. You looked cool while shooting!” 

“But I only hit the center once.”

“Have you ever done this before? All the equipment seem brand new so I’m pretty sure they’re a bit stiff,” Jiwoo suggested.

“Well, no. I’ve had no reason to try archery before and… hmm…” Sooyoung examined the bow she held. “The string did feel pretty tight at first.”

“See!” Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

“Easier said than done,” Sooyoung muttered under her breath and the girl across her didn’t seem to catch what she said.

“I’m Jiwoo. From District 11.”

“Sooyoung. District 8.”

There was something about this high-spirited tribute that Sooyoung found faintly questionable. How could anyone be so… absentminded in this case? It was odd and yet Sooyoung found herself wanting to know more about Jiwoo.

~

“Ah!”

Chaewon quietly yelped as the thorn she was fiddling with pierced her skin. She delicately tried prying the splinter out, causing her to wince in slight pain. It was a lot deeper than it looked. A bright red droplet began to form on her ring finger and the sight of it made her anxious.

“What happened? Are you okay?” the girl sitting across Chaewon stopped crafting her own makeshift fish hook and looked at her. 

“It’s nothing!” Chaewon momentarily pressed on the wound with her thumb but after seeing the blood spread, she shook her hand as if that would take the discomfort away. 

Upon noticing the blood, Yerim’s brows were knit with concern. 

“I’m sure there’s a first aid station in this building. I could help you ask around!”

Chaewon considered the girl’s offer, but realized she didn’t want to burden her like that.

“Uh, no! I can do it myself. Besides, I wouldn’t want you to waste your training time.”

“Are you sure? I’m done with this anyways.” Yerim showed her finished work.

“Yeah, it’s fine. I don’t think they’d allow you to accompany me out since you’re not hurt or anything,” Chaewon insisted as she stood.

Yerim tried to not frown. She just wanted to be helpful.

“Okay. Take care then.”

~

The wave of anger hadn’t left Jungeun since the day she was reaped. 

After learning the basics of handling a knife in combat with a trainer, she chose to take a couple throws at the moving targets.

While Jungeun hurled knife after knife into the dummies with all her strength, certain people came to mind.

First, the damn president in charge of all this.

Second, the gamemakers who orchestrated the competition.

Third, the ignorant careers who willingly participated.

Fourth, the ridiculously dressed Escort who picked her name from the bowl.

Fifth, every single Capitolite who found amusement in the games.

Despite her strong throws that caused the blades to sink in deep, Jungeun was only able to hit non-vital areas at most. She didn’t care though; she just wanted to let off some steam. As she was beginning to get used to the repetitive movement, she felt like she was being stared at and turned around. Leaning on a nearby wall, Jeonghan eyed her with an amused look.

“What do you want?” Jungeun growled.

“Nothing. Just noticed how you took my advice.”

“What?”

“As I said when we met, use your anger for training. You’ve been doing it now.” Jeonghan shrugged.

To her annoyance, Jungeun supposed he was right.

“And you? Why aren’t you doing anything?” she remarked.

“It’s the first day of training. Everyone’s raring to show off. Might as well observe each one’s strengths so I can plan around it, right? Knowing your enemy is just as important as knowing yourself.” 

He turned and headed elsewhere.

Jungeun narrowed her eyes as she watched Jeonghan leave her be. She made a mental note to be wary around him in the arena.

~

The three boys at the knot-tying station were struggling to keep up with the instructor who seemed oblivious as to how hastily he was teaching. He gave the impression of wanting the whole tedious demonstration to be over quickly. Perhaps he was bored of his job and didn’t believe it would be much help to the tributes in front of him, considering the Districts they came from, or so Chan thought.

Chan noticed the difference between the two who sat beside him. One had his jaw clenched as he was deeply focused on securing the cable of his snare. The other seemed a little more collected as he curiously examined and tinkered with the knots he made. The District 12 boy considered his own work and thought he didn’t do too bad taking into account that it was his first time doing this.

The instructor directed the three of them to set up the snares after they had secured the knots. He examined each structure carefully.

“You’re from three, right?” The instructor crossed his arms in front of the boy with dirty blonde hair who nodded in response.

“Your loop knot is too loose. You won’t catch anything with this. I expected those from 3 would be better at work with their hands but it seems I was wrong.”

“Oh.” 

The instructor proceeded to the other boy, the one from District 9.

“And yours is too tight. You’re going to take too much time trying to take the game out; you could be killed by then.”

When it was Chan’s turn to be evaluated, the instructor simply nodded.

“Not bad. Could be neater, but it should work.”

“Um, thanks.” Chan felt a little proud of himself. 

After the boys dismantled their work and returned the materials, the tribute from 9 approached Chan.

“Hey, that was pretty good.” 

“Ah… it was nothing really. Just followed what we were told,” Chan responded.

“What do you mean nothing? Making traps that actually work could very well mean the difference between life and death! Give yourself more credit,” the boy gave him a reassuring grin.

“Survival skills are just as necessary as combat prowess,” the boy from 3 piped up upon hearing the conversation while placing the last of the materials on the shelf.

“But it’s nothing impressive. No one’s gonna remember a tribute for their ability to feed themselves. The Capitol wants a show more than anything.” Chan remained pessimistic and glanced around. 

“See that girl? She’s exactly the type to have sponsors lined up for her.” He gestured towards the sword station where a dark haired girl was aggressively thrusting and hacking at the dummies. The three boys watched her with a common feeling of dread.

“Okay, let’s forget about it then. I’m Seungkwan by the way. From 9!” the boy offered a hand out to Chan, who firmly shook it and then to the boy from 3 who did the same.

“I’m Chan. From 12.”

“Hansol, 3.”

“I guess I’ll see you guys around. I should get going,” Chan faced the two with a sad smile.

“Oh, right,” Seungkwan said.

As Chan turned to leave, Hansol put a hand on the younger boy’s shoulder.

“Hey. Don’t be so sad alright? Uhh… no wait, it’s totally okay to be sad; that’s valid. What I mean is you should stay focused on now- the present. Find joy in the little things. Make a good impact on others, shit like that, y’know?” 

Chan knew he meant well but it didn’t quite lift his spirits, although he appreciated Hansol’s way of thinking.

“Yeah… sure.” And with that, he wondered elsewhere.

~

Heejin eyed the girl from District 2 who was making use of the area for individual sword training against dummies. Much to her annoyance, the girl had been there the whole day. She wielded what looked more like a heavy knife with a single edged blade that slightly curved forward, complete with a hilt shaped like a “J”. 

Deciding that she’d rather not get in the girl’s way now and could try making an ally out of her later during the lunch break, she opted to spar with a trainer.

Heejin scanned the wall that was holding various swords and daggers. She had never seen so many types in person, although she was able to identify most from the books she’s read on weaponry in preparation for this day. She ended up going for a long but slim sidesword with a light weight that felt balanced in her grip.

She mirrored her trainer’s stance as each one prepared to strike. The trainer immediately took the offensive. Anticipating this, Heejin shifted her guard and parried by raising her sword diagonally. Her opponent moved quickly again, attempting another sudden slash to Heejin’s side this time but the girl was even faster and gracefully danced around it before the training sword came down on her. This time, Heejin changed her approach as she noticed a small opening. She thrusted, her own blade feeling like a mere extension of her arm. Though she was close, her trainer had sharper instincts and deflected Heejin’s blade.

They went on for a considerable amount of time, gaining the attention of some people, tributes and trainers alike. Eventually, Heejin began feeling her muscles getting heavy and her breath getting shallower and yet her trainer seemed to have not been affected at all. When she saw her opponent about to charge at her once more for what seemed like an attempt to end the fight, Heejin sidestepped instead of parried, and her trainer almost tumbled over from her own force. Now that she had the upper hand, she swung her sword towards her trainer’s neck and stopped right before it hit. 

Her trainer lowered her own weapon and smiled, admitting defeat. 

“Looks like you don’t have much to worry about out there. Good job, kid.”

Heejin was out of breath and covered in sweat.

“I barely notched that win though,” she replied, not satisfied with how exhausted she ended up.

“What matters is that you bested me anyways. You’re not brawny but your speed and reflexes make up for it. Use that to your advantage.”

“But-”

“You can work on your strength and cardio in the weights station if you want but otherwise you’re fine,” the trainer insisted.

Heejin only nodded in response, only now noticing the others who watched her. She hoped that her sparring served as a good show in front of them. It had to be. She was a career after all.

Unbeknownst to the District 1 girl, Hyejoo had stopped practicing midway after hearing the slight commotion and scrutinized Heejin as she sparred. She smirked to herself and thought that she’d enjoy a challenge, and would hopefully confront her in the arena.


End file.
